Sensitive detection of plant mutations

Understanding the genetics behind plant phenotypes is a complex and laborious process. In addition, due to labelling requirements in many countries, sensitive tests for genetically modified organisms (GMO) are becoming more necessary. Real-time PCR has been the gold standard for measuring plant gene expression; however, as the concentration of potential targets decreases among high backgrounds of wild-type material, and when inhibitors are present, real-time PCR can prove to be a challenging method for quantifying plant mutations and for GMO detection.

Approaches such as digital PCR allow researchers to decipher the expression of wild type versus mutant genes, measuringspecific alleles (SNPs) and detecting new rare mutations. Digital PCR on the QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR System enables nucleic acid detection and quantification that is ideal for GMO detection and measuring plant mutations because it provides an absolute number for targets in a sample. In addition, digital PCR doesn’t rely on standards and offers a high tolerance for the many PCR inhibitors that are routinely encountered in plant samples.